The Arts Department at Abington Friends School believes that an arts education fosters the ability to problem-solve, take risks and communicate through the act of creation-an act that requires full participation of the body, the mind, and the spirit. The role of the music, theatre and visual arts teachers is to introduce students to the tools, skills and history of each discipline, and then provide opportunities for them to explore and express their personal experience. The arts classroom is a communal and collaborative environment, which encourages young artists to examine both their own processes and those of their peers. The skills, curiosity and passions nurtured in students of the arts will influence their development as thinkers, workers and citizens throughout their lifetimes.